1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to motorcycle-type devices having three wheels for increasing the usability as a passenger-type vehicle and to increase the safety of such motorcycle-type vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common problem with known three-wheel type motorcycle devices is that upon entering or maneuvering through a turn at high speeds, and even at more normal moderate speeds, they are extremely subject to flipping or turning over. This is due to the problem created by centrifugal force acting upon the relatively high center of gravity of the vehicle. Conventional two-wheel motocycles lean into a turn and thus lower the center of gravity and effectively counterbalance the centrifugal force to prevent this flipping over or turning over. With three-wheel vehicles this normally cannot be done because of the action of the third wheel.
Another problem with known three-wheel vehicles is that they commonly have two front wheels for driving the vehicle and pivot or turn the rear single wheel for operation of said vehicle. This offers many additional problems over a motorcycle having a single front steerable wheel.
Another problem with known devices that do permit the banking or tilting of the operator and/or passengers is that a good portion or even most of the weight of the vehicle itself does not tilt which only partially solves the problem. The engine of the vehicle is one of the heaviest components overall and failure to mount the power plant so that it may bank is one of the limitations of these known devices.
Another problem of known devices which employ mechanism for banking or tilting portions of the vehicle is that they do not provide fail-safe mechanism for the operating structure thereof. That is, if something should happen during the operation of the vehicle, they will not normally resume a neutral or upright position by themselves after the turn is completed.
These problems together with many others such as difficulty in cooling internal combustion operated engines, the structural mounting of said engines, the problem of shock structures and self-righting features, together with the lack of a automatic or semi-automatic operation all are limitations of existing known devices.
Known prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as follows:
______________________________________ 2,493,817 T. G. Hare Jan. 10, 1950 3,224,523 T. J. Ross Dec. 21, 1965 3,447,623 I. V. K. Hott June 3, 1969 3,610,358 W. H. Korff Oct. 5, 1971 3,746,118 E. J. Altorfer July 17, 1973 ______________________________________
None of these known prior art devices offers the new and unique features of the invention disclosed herein.